Joe Phaahla

The Honourable Joe Phaahla MP
At the 2024 World Economic Forum
Deputy Minister of Health
Incumbent
Assumed office 2 July 2024
Minister	Aaron Motsoaledi
26th Minister of Health
In office 5 August 2021 – 19 June 2024
President	Cyril Ramaphosa
Deputy	Sibongiseni Dhlomo
Preceded by	Zweli Mkhize
Succeeded by	Aaron Motsoaledi
Deputy Minister of Health
In office 26 May 2014 – 5 August 2021
President	Cyril Ramaphosa Jacob Zuma
Minister	Zweli Mkhize Aaron Motsoaledi
Preceded by	Gwen Ramokgopa
Succeeded by	Sibongiseni Dhlomo
Deputy Minister of Arts and Culture
In office 31 October 2010 – 7 May 2014
President	Jacob Zuma
Minister	Paul Mashatile
Preceded by	Paul Mashatile
Succeeded by	Rejoice Mabudafhasi
Deputy Minister of Rural Development and Land Reform
In office 11 May 2009 – 31 October 2010
President	Jacob Zuma
Minister	Gugile Nkwinti
Preceded by	Portfolio established
Succeeded by	Thulas Nxesi
Member of the National Assembly
Incumbent
Assumed office 6 May 2009
Deputy Provincial Chairperson of the African National Congress in Limpopo
In office 1994–1998
Chairperson	Ngoako Ramatlhodi George Mashamba
Preceded by	Position established
Succeeded by	Robert Malavi
Member of the Limpopo Provincial Legislature
In office 1994–2000
Personal details
Born	Mathume Joseph Phaahla (1957-07-11) 11 July 1957 (age 67) Ga-Phaahla, Transvaal Union of South Africa
Political party	African National Congress
Alma mater	University of Natal (MBBS)

Mathume Joseph Phaahla (born 11 July 1957) is a South African politician who served as the Minister of Health from August 2021 until the elections of 29 May 2024. He was formerly the Deputy Minister of Health from May 2014 to August 2021, and on 30 June 2024, President Cyril Ramaphosa reappointed back to Deputy Minister of Health.^[1] He had been a deputy minister since May 2009, when he joined the National Assembly. He is also a member of the National Executive Committee of the African National Congress (ANC).

Born in Limpopo, Phaahla trained as a medical doctor at the University of Natal, where he became active in the anti-apartheid movement. He was the president of the Azanian Students' Organisation from 1981 to 1983 and later was a regional leader in the United Democratic Front. Upon the end of apartheid in 1994, Phaahla left his medical career to join the inaugural Executive Council of Limpopo; under Premier Ngoako Ramatlhodi, he was the province's first Member of the Executive Council for Health from 1994 to 1997 and then Member of the Executive Council for Education from 1997 to 2000. He was also a member of the ANC Provincial Executive Committee from 1991 to 2001, including as Deputy Provincial Chairperson from 1994 to 1998.

Between 2000 and 2009, Phaahla took a hiatus from legislative politics, initially to work in sports administration as the head of the South African Sports Commission and then as the head of the government's preparations for the 2010 FIFA World Cup. During this period, at the ANC's Polokwane conference in December 2007, Phaahla was elected to the ANC National Executive Committee for the first time. From 2008 to 2009, during the 2009 general election campaign, he worked at Luthuli House as the head of the ANC presidency under Jacob Zuma.

Phaahla was elected to the National Assembly in the 2009 election and was appointed as Deputy Minister of Rural Development and Land Reform under Zuma's first cabinet from 2009 to 2010. After that, he served as Deputy Minister of Arts and Culture from 2010 to 2014, and then as Deputy Minister of Health from 2014 to 2021. President Cyril Ramaphosa promoted him to the cabinet on 5 August 2021 following the resignation of the former Health Minister, Zweli Mkhize.